New Round, New Chances
by Ira the Wise
Summary: A year later, Florence meets Freddie again.


**A new round, new chances. **

Disclaimer: I don't own Chess.

There was absolute silence in the room. So silent that you could hear the pieces being placed on the board. The movement of the expensive fabrics of the players jackets. All eyes on the two players. Their eyes focused on the board and each other. Trying to pick out anything that might predict what the next move would be. A slight grin, or a slight twitch in the eye could mean the end of the game. A game of chess could take a long time to get to the end, but it could be over in a flash. Before you know it, the King is driven into a corner and one of the players will have lost.

She eyed him carefully. Analyzing his every moment. His game might be unpredictable, but he himself was very easy to read. He seemed at lot older than last year, like being on his own did not do him well. Calmer, more reserved, and so far she had not read any shocking press reviews so that was an improvement. At the other hand, Freddie will always remain Freddie. Still the same good looks, the expensive suit, slight grin on his face and that glint in his eyes. She had seen that look so often, she knew what it mend. He was winning, he knew it, she knew it. The white king of his opponent was moved of the board, and the Arbiter announced Frederick Trumper as the winner of this quarter final in the world championship in Chess. Applause. Florence knew what she had to do now. Get out, quickly, before he would scan the crowd and see her. She had done it through the whole competition, seeing every single match, and so far she had been successful. However, not today. As she quickly tried to make her way out of the assembly hall she collided with someone and fell to the ground. 'great', she thought, 'this will make a nice headline for tomorrow: Florence Vassy falls on her ass at great Chess event. Lovely'. Her thoughts were interrupted by a familiar hand coming into her view. She swallowed and looked up. "Hi Freddie"

"Hey" He first stared at her, than his hand. "Aren't you going to take it?"

He sounded disappointed. To avoided more commotion, she took his hand and he lifted her back on her feet. "Thanks" she said.

"So…" he said.

"So.." She mimicked with a small smile. "Long time no see."

"Indeed. Are you doing okay? Everything good? You look good…I mean..you look like you are doing good…" He paused for a moment. "He's taking good care of you?"

Florence was surprised. Concern from Freddie, or perhaps just jalousie. Him bringing up this topic brought back all the old sore from last year. She took a deep breath. "You know very well that we are no longer together, Freddie."

"You..him…I thought you were still together."

"You don't read the papers, they went on and on about it."

"I've stopped reading them."

"Now that you aren't talked about anymore. Positively or negatively."

"Ow well, yes, no, it doesn't matter."

"Very well. I have to go now Freddie, so I you will excuse me."

He nodded his head and watched her as she walked away. Halfway to the exit she turned around. "Ow Freddie, congrats on the match. Very neat."

"Thanks." He replied.

When Florence opened her hotel room door she took of her coat and directly dropped on the bed. All the way from the assembly hall to the hotel she kept thinking about Freddie. How he looked different, but at the same time not changed at all. More like the old Freddie. Before the fame, and the arrogance. She knew that, with the final match coming closer, it would be harder and harder to avoid him. She decided that she would keep her distance. 'Do not fall back into those old patterns again, it will only hurt you.' She would find out what this new Freddie was like. And maybe they could simply become friends again. Just like before, all the way back, in the beginning. Maybe it was time to forget the past, and to start again.

**A/N Okay, here it is. My first 'real' fic. (my first was a songfic and the other was co-written by someone else) I have no clue if it's good or crap or something in between. Please let me know. Also let me know if this is worth continuing. **

**Xxx**

**Ira**


End file.
